DIY HALLOWEEN – BLACK CAT-O’-LANTERNS

Do you love pumpkins? Do you love cats? Then this is the Halloween decoration for you.

For all you crazy cat ladies, here’s an opportunity to get your Dr Frankenstein on and make your very own black cat… without actually bringing it to life.

You will need:

Knife

A variation of pumpkins, including mini ones

Black paper

Newspaper

Curved Cucumbers

Black spray paint

Candles

Step #1: Find a large pumpkin for the body and a relatively smaller one for the head. Once you’ve selected your proportioned pumpkins, get a pair of mini pumpkins which are small enough to go with the head and torso as paws. While you’re at it, get a curved cucumber for the tail.

Step #2: Take a ‘head’ pumpkin, cut off the top and scoop it out. Make sure it’s clean on the inside to avoid any unnecessary mess.

Step #3: Place it upside down with the hole at the bottom on top of the chosen torso. Find a secure position for it so that it doesn’t wobble or leave a gap. You may carve the hole to adjust accordingly.

Step #4: Once you’ve set the head, decide where you’d like the eyes and draw them on. This will help you carve them out. Go for a slanted cat eye oval shape.

Step #5: Take a piece of black paper and cut out a pair of pointy ears. Mark their positions on the head with a pen. Carve two shallow grooves where you’ve made your marks. Insert the paper ears into the grooves to test their firmness. Remove for later.

Step #6: Stuff the head with crumpled newspaper and ready an area outside for spray painting. Coat all the pumpkins and the cucumber with a few good layers of black spray paint. Leave to dry completely.

Step #7: Once the vegetables are dry, remove the head stuffing and insert the ears. You might want to use some glue to keep them secure.

Step #8: Place the torso outside your door or in your garden. Then place a short candle on a tiny plate which won’t wobble on top of the torso. This will go underneath the head, so see that the plate’s circumference is smaller than the hole’s. Light the candle and place the head on top of it. Position the paws and the tail accordingly.